Hailstorms and unseasonal rains, accompanied by lightning and thunder, have claimed 27 lives, and left a trail of disaster across fields in central and western Maharashtra, destroying standing crops worth crores of rupees, since March 3.

14 people have died in central Maharashtra's backward region of Marathwada, while 13 lost lives in western region of Vidarbha, police and official sources said.

A report from Aurangabad said of the 14 deaths reported in central Maharashtra, eight people had died of lightning, which claimed another 12 of the total 13 lives lost in western Maharashtra since Thursday.

Standing crops worth Rs 9 crore have been damaged in 25,000 hectares of land in Marathwada in the last 8 days, deputy divisional commissioner (revenue) Dileep Shinde said at Aurangabad.

A report from Nashik said 7 farm workers, including at least three migrants from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, were killed by lightening while working in the fields on Thursday.

An Akola report said lightening killed five people, while a two-year-old boy died in wall collapse even as normal life was disrupted in Washim, Buldhana and Akola districts. Standing crops of wheat, green gram and 'jardu' were destroyed in rural areas of Warhad.

Kolhapur experienced moderate rains on Friday and the town remained overcast for the second day. However, Mumbai, after experiencing unseasonable rains on Thursday, was clear and dry on Friday.